Grafton Group (LON:GFTU) Hits New 52-Week High – Still a Buy?

Shares of Grafton Group plc (LON:GFTU) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday. The stock traded as high as GBX 1,069.20 and last traded at GBX 1,062, with a volume of 410,635 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,041.20.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on GFTU shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 1,315 target price on shares of Grafton Group in a research report on Friday, September 4th. Peel Hunt restated a “buy” rating and set a GBX 1,160 price target on shares of Grafton Group in a report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Berenberg Bank lifted their price objective on Grafton Group from GBX 1,000 to GBX 1,150 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of GBX 3,160.

Grafton Group Trading Up 2.1%

The company has a market cap of £1.98 billion, a PE ratio of 15.65, a P/E/G ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 1.07. The stock’s 50 day moving average is GBX 980.73 and its 200-day moving average is GBX 936.12. The company has a quick ratio of 1.56, a current ratio of 1.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 43.55.

Insider Activity at Grafton Group

In other news, insider David Arnold sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 953, for a total value of £95,300. 11.52% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Grafton Group

Grafton Group plc engages in the distribution, retailing, and manufacturing businesses in Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, and the United Kingdom. Its Distribution segment distributes building materials, paint, tools, ironmongery, fixings, and accessories, workwear and PPE, and spare parts; materials and plant for mechanical services, heating, plumbing, and air movement; and trade, DIY, and self-build markets with building materials, timber, doors and floors, plumbing and heating, bathrooms, and landscaping products under the Selco, Leyland SDM, Chadwicks, MacBlair, Isero, Polvo, Gunters en Meuser, TG Lynes, and IKH brands.